Beyond Good Looks: Add Value and Style to Your Home with This One Element

Plantation shutters are a hallmark of Southern style that are also a great choice for window coverings in homes of almost any style. The deep-louvered, swinging wooden shutters provide a sophisticated alternative to blinds and will give any home a little touch of the genteel. Another great thing about plantation shutters, besides their good looks, is that they can be financed along with the construction of your home, and can actually increase your home's value, since they usually remain with the house when you move.

Another option, which allows for privacy while still letting in lots of light, is installing plantation shutters on only the lower half of a window, as seen in this living room from Kathryn Ivey Interiors.